What's new?

I was in Oklahoma at my parent's 50th anniversary party the other day. Mingling with the guests, serving wedding cake, making punch, mingling some more. At one point, I bumped into my childhood dentist whom I haven't seen in at least 20 years. After the initial recognition and hello, he says, "So what is new?"

Do you ever have out of body moments when your brain instantly chases fake conversations down a trail in your mind before you snap yourself out of it and just answer as any sane person would? Because that is exactly what happened to me.

My first thought was, "Since I haven't seen you in 20 years, just about everything!" That wasn't good so I tried to shift gears mentally. Four cavities and I desperately need my teeth bleached. Uh, no, still not right.

I knew he was just expecting the "not much, how about you" but my frazzled brain tried to force my mouth to blurt out all the stuff going on in my life that he totally wouldn't care to hear. I at long last managed to say something socially appropriate (I think), noticed the cake needed attention and got out of there. Whew!

The fact is, I do like change. If don't have some kind of change in my life on a regular basis I get into a funk and feel all stuck in a rut. The last few weeks have been lots of change, but also activity!! And that level of activity is what has my brain all frazzled.

I already posted pics of the new puppy. Talk about activity!! But below are some pictures of some other things I have been doing the past several weeks. D and I led a mission trip to Brazil, which included our oldest son, and it was very exciting to see God's hand at work!



D3 helped lead worship one day for the VBS portion of the trip. He is on the far right and even farther out of his comfort zone.



This poor bus driver...four times a day for four days he made roundtrips picking up kids from the poor areas of Brazil to come to VBS at Pitanga Ranch. The worst day HAD to of been the one we gave away plastic flutes with the snack bags that were part of the VBS experience. We could still hear the "music" over the roar of the diesel engine as they pulled out.



This is me in the favella, truly the poorest of the poor. Note the "wall" of their house hanging behind me. We did a first aid/evangelism outreach in the favella every morning and every evening. Every member of the team had their turn to go out at some point during the trip.



The food packs lined against this wall were for each family of the favella and contained staples that would carry them through the next month. One lady who I had shared the Gospel with earlier in the week stopped us and said (through an interpretor) that she had just run out of food for she and her little daughter, that we had come just in time. It was yet one more chance to tell her about God's great love for her in sending us to that favella at that time with those provisions. I pray she will remember, she will understand, and that she will come to trust in Christ and not in her works!